Having just visited Mammoth Cave National Park this past Memorial Day Weekend, we were admittedly a little skeptical whether taking a tour of Wind Cave National Park would be redundant.  It turns out that Wind Cave has some unique features, especially for the adventurers out there! Also, after years of watching Disney’s Aladdin, I’ve always been fascinated with the prospect of exploring caves. But I digress…

We included a tour of Wind Cave National Park as part of our itinerary while staying in Custer, SD. Only an 18 mile drive (~20 minutes) from Custer, we were able to fit in an afternoon tour of Wind Cave after finishing a work day (remote jobs FTW!).

Wind Cave National Park: A Hidden Gem in the Black Hills

1. Basic Info about Wind Cave National Park
2. Other Activities at Wind Cave National Park
3. Insider Info on Wind Cave National Park
4. Final Thoughts on Wind Cave National Park

Basic Info about Wind Cave National Park

Wind Cave had no parking fees, and there is no visitation/entry fee to the grounds outside the cave.  However, there are fees to take a guided tour of Wind Cave itself. While you can approach the Natural Entrance on your own, it is not possible to go into the cave unguided.

There are three Wind Cave tours available; you can visit the NPS website for the current schedule (and details of course). Each tour offers a different perspective / route through the caves to see the prominent cave features of Wind Cave – boxwork and cave popcorn. Visitors can also see frostwork during two of the three tours. We were debating doing two tours (as we did at Mammoth Cave); however, we only had time to take one tour, so we chose the Fairgrounds Tour.

Boxwork in Wind Cave

Fun fact: Approximately 95% of the world’s discovered boxwork can be found at Wind Cave National Park!

Cave Popcorn in Wind Cave

Fun fact: Cave popcorn grows on the side of the cave that is in the direction of the wind/air currents entering the cave.

Frostwork in Wind Cave

Fun fact: Frostwork can grow on top of boxwork and cave popcorn.

If you have the time, consider taking two tours. Different park rangers have creative liberty to emphasize different pieces of cave history during the tour. You’ll walk away knowing so much about the cave – it may inspire you to visit other caves!

In the main building, visitors can buy tickets for the Wind Cave tours and read about the park’s history. There is a small gift shop on site. There is also a donation box; donations go back to Wind Cave National Park.  

For those feeling brave, Wind Cave continues exploration and mapping via the effort of volunteers. If this is something that interests you, definitely talk to a ranger when you visit!

Other Activities at Wind Cave National Park

If we had more time to spend at Wind Cave this trip, we had a few more activities in mind. Hope you’ll consider them for your itinerary as you plan your trip to visit seventh largest cave in the world (and the third longest in America).

• Take another tour (as suggested above).
• Visit the Natural Entrance – the rangers say you can feel the cave “breathing” standing in front of this entry point.
• Explore some of the hiking trails; the Park has over 30 miles of trails above ground, taking visitors through prairies to enjoy the Black Hills scenery.
• Watch wildlife! You are in South Dakota after all – spotting some wildlife is not to be missed!
• Bike on the paved / established roads.
• Horseback riding across the acres of prairie lands (although you’d have to bring your own horse from outside of the park to enjoy this activity).

Insider Info on Wind Cave National Park

• Buy your tickets online in advance if possible.
• Show up early, even if you bought tickets online. The parking lot is huge, especially if crowded enough to go to overflow parking, and the desk at which you receive your tickets (if booked online) is still a 5-10 minute walk away from the actual cave entrances.
• Heed the “strenuous” rating on the tour. While totally worth it, some sections of stairs are narrow and steep (and the grounds were wet); I was holding the railings the entire way.
• Wear grippy shoes, as the ground can be slippery.
• Hiking poles are usually not allowed unless you have a mobility issue. If you plan to bring them, buy rubber tips for your poles in advance – you won’t be allowed to use your poles otherwise. Hard tips can damage the rock formations for future generations.
• Given the steep, narrow, and potentially wet nature of the stairs, you may (or may not) want to let your kids walk down on their own.
• The park rangers will turn off the lights, making it pitch black for about 5 minutes during the tour. If you have young children please be aware. We have now done 3 cave tours and young children screamed in every one of the tours!
• White Nose Syndrome: at the end of the tour, you will be required to walk on a black spongy material which has some simple antifungal solution.  The purpose is to disinfect your shoes from a fungus which has been killing bat populations around the country.  Don’t worry, the solution will not damage your shoes!
• If you can, bring a flashlight with you (your phone’s light won’t be very useful). You don’t need the flashlight to make it through the tour as the pathways are lit, but you may find it useful to see the details of the beautiful rock formations on the walls and ceilings. 

Final Thoughts on Wind Cave National Park

We found Wind Cave to be an enjoyable stop during our itinerary around South Dakota, especially with Mammoth Site just a short drive away. It was totally reasonable to do both on the same day! We wish we’d scheduled more time to explore the park above ground, and certainly on our next trip we’ll be sure to do so.

As for the cave exploration, we found it fascinating to observe different geological features in different caves. With so many unique features found only in Wind Cave, you have to take a look as well!

Have you been to, or are thinking of visiting Wind Cave National Park? Did you participate in the volunteer exploration program? Leave a comment below!